I want to join a sailing club on Strangford Lough

[skodster]

I have sailing cruiser in Lough Neagh at the moment and want to get back to sea sailing. Strangford Lough is ideal for the Irish Sea.

1. Do I have to join a club at all to put down a mooring in Strangford Lough?

2. What club on the West shore is recommended and why?

Thanks in advance.

 

[lpdsn]

I have sailing cruiser in Lough Neagh at the moment and want to get back to sea sailing. Strangford Lough is ideal for the Irish Sea.

1. Do I have to join a club at all to put down a mooring in Strangford Lough?

2. What club on the West shore is recommended and why?

Thanks in advance.

I've visited the Down CC at Ballydorn a few times. Friendly bunch and a nice facility tucked away behind Sketrick Island.

http://www.downcruisingclub.co.uk/index.html

There's a few other clubs, which all seem to have a good rep. for being welcoming.

 

[SAMYL]

Plenty of clubs to choose from on the west shore. One at Audleys Castle, Quoile, Killyleagh, East Down, Ringhaddy, Strangford Lough at Whiterock and as mentioned DCC at Ballydorn. If you are just into cruising then most will do although SLYC is mostly racing. Some have a social side whereas RCC is just a very good facility but no clubhouse etc.
You may be able to just put a mooring down although I'm not sure, but will you be able to access and service it without being in a club? If you want a mooring in Ringhaddy PM me and I could put you in touch with a friend who has one for sale.

 

[saltylegs]

Hi Skodster
IMHO if you are looking for a mooring at any of the clubs then i guess they will require you to be a member.
As mentioned above DCC are a friendly bunch but I would imagine getting a mooring would be difficult,
next door is SLYC (where I am) and again not much mooring space but a couple of the members arrange the selling of existing moorings,
next heading south is East Down yc, close to killyleagh and killyleagh yc, next is Quoile yc, half way between Downpatrick and Strangford by road then Strangford sc which is actually at the rear of Castleward.
All the membership details are available via Mr google or email links via their sites.
There is (or was) a small club based in comber in the river but i have no details.
You could try a few of the clubs as a visitor or guest to get a flavour most have an open day but most likely earlier in the season.

But what type of boat do you have and what type of sailing do you propose as this will also have a bearing on the type of club/sailing area you require.

salty.

whoops forgot Ringhaddy mentioned above.

 

[skodster]

Hi Skodster
IMHO if you are looking for a mooring at any of the clubs then i guess they will require you to be a member.
As mentioned above DCC are a friendly bunch but I would imagine getting a mooring would be difficult,
next door is SLYC (where I am) and again not much mooring space but a couple of the members arrange the selling of existing moorings,
next heading south is East Down yc, close to killyleagh and killyleagh yc, next is Quoile yc, half way between Downpatrick and Strangford by road then Strangford sc which is actually at the rear of Castleward.
All the membership details are available via Mr google or email links via their sites.
There is (or was) a small club based in comber in the river but i have no details.
You could try a few of the clubs as a visitor or guest to get a flavour most have an open day but most likely earlier in the season.

But what type of boat do you have and what type of sailing do you propose as this will also have a bearing on the type of club/sailing area you require.

salty.

whoops forgot Ringhaddy mentioned above.

Thanks for that Salty. I have a modest 23 foot fin keeler and my sailing is of the cruising variety. I have spent a couple of years on Lough Neagh and to be honest, it's got a little claustrophobic and I have the desire to go further afield. I have a number of challenges on my 'bucket list' that can't be achieved from a lake.

I want a friendly 'working mans' type club of the type where everyone mucks in together, helps with each others boats rather than a 'yottie style' one where the cold shoulder is the default setting! I had a look at Quoile and it looked OK but there was a club that I visited a couple of years ago and I think that it was East Down YC. I nearly joined but thought that a better reintroduction to sailing would be the Lough Neagh option.

 

[saltylegs]

Don't rule out the east side of the lough as Portaferry is quite a friendly club and just a ferry jaunt away.

 

[Quandary]

I used to race on Lough Neagh in the winter, at Antrim Boat Club in an Achilles 24, this summer we met an old protagonist in Tobermory in the early stages of his annual summer cruise to the West Coast.
Over to Toome, down the Bann to Coleraine then head North to Islay, no need to get stuck in Strangford. (it is just so North Down you know, probably worse than Bangor.)